Girls on the Run
February 2022
Across North America about 200,000 girls benefit from “Girls on the Run” programs each year. Now, 16 very excited girls in Salem will be participating in the eight-week season at the Historic Salem Courthouse community center beginning on March 28.
Girls on the Run (GOTR), which began in 1996, is “dedicated to creating a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams.“ The program is not new to Salem, having run there for several seasons until about ten years ago. Fortunately, former coaches and passionate GOTR fans, Stacy Riche and Karen Keefe and former participant Kyndra Riche will be coaching this year. They will be among the 100,000 volunteers across the country giving their time two afternoons a week. GOTR provides its nationally recognized training to all coaches.
Now one of approximately 12,000 GOTR locations, the Salem program is open to 3rd-5th graders and will follow the guidelines designed by GOTR. Their mission is to “inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experienced-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.” The researched based curriculum for this age group will focus on building confidence, important social and emotional life skills, healthy habits and physical activity. The season ends with a non-competitive 5K event on May 21, which provides the girls with a “tangible sense of accomplishment”.
Working with the Capital Region Council of GOTR, and its director Sarah Syden, courthouse Executive Director, Janice Quartararo, was able to gain new approval for a GOTR site in Salem. The most important things were Salem’s potential for growth and financial support for the program. The Shoppe Off Broadway, a thrift store located on the courthouse campus, stepped up in a big way to provide the essential funding for scholarships. For many years The Shoppe has offered affordable clothes and household items and given the proceeds back to the community in the form of donations, grants and scholarships. To date, the Shoppe has donated over $283,000. Without their support of $160 per child, the GOTR program would not have been selected to go forward.
This year’s coaches could not have been more thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of Salem GOTR again. All have said they feel honored to be a part of the life-changing program. They stressed how particularly important the life skills gained during the season are because of the pressure and anxiety created by social media these days. The girls will learn to appreciate themselves and others for who they are, and to be advocates for themselves as well as others. They will practice making informed and intentional decisions and how to listen and respect the opinions of others. They will hone techniques to deal with stress and conflict and develop strategies for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They will gain confidence and competence and learn to embrace each other’s differences.
Studies show that girls only programs provide a safe and supportive space where girls feel they can share thoughts without judgment. Such programs build strong and lasting relationships and allow girls to feel proud and empowered. GOTR has developed a program for girls in grades 6-8 called Heart and Soul. The Courthouse group hopes to have the capacity to expand the program in the future to include the next age group. More funding and more volunteers will be the deciding factor. In Salem there are currently twice as many girls interested in GOTR as there are slots, so finding participants for a larger program shouldn’t be a problem.
